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Bringing the True, Pure & Lovely...Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:03:20 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.831924677Being an Intentional Friendhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/03/being-an-intentional-friend/
Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:03:20 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9807I have learned a lot about friendship in the last 20-ish years of my life. I remember the clique phases of grade school, junior high, and high school. I know how hard it is to stay in touch with your high school friends when you attend different colleges. I know what’s its like to make ... Continue Reading...]]>

I have learned a lot about friendship in the last 20-ish years of my life.

I remember the clique phases of grade school, junior high, and high school. I know how hard it is to stay in touch with your high school friends when you attend different colleges. I know what’s its like to make lifelong friends at college, and keep those friendships.

I also know what it feels like to watch a friendship completely crumble, seemingly with no warning, leaving you to pick up the pieces and wonder what went wrong.

Friendship at this stage in my life is a strange one, no doubt. I am lucky to be blessed with several amazing friends, who love me for me, love my kids and my hubby, and intentionally make time to spend with me. I intentionally try to do the same. With busy schedules and kids and life, sometimes it is hard. I find when I take the time to invest in my friends, the rewards are great. I’ve been more conscious of this ever since a crumbled friendship left me asking so many questions.

“Am I a bad friend?”

“What did I do wrong?”

“What can I change about myself?”

It was eye opening. I realized that maybe I didn’t need to change as much as I had originally thought. Here’s what I learned:

Lower your expectations.

Friendships aren’t built on grand gestures or extravagance. In an age where everyone is “busy”, we must not expect our friends to move mountains on our behalf. Their presence and interest in our lives is important but it doesn’t have to be suffocating. It’s not always going to be puppy dog tails and rainbows. Friendships go through hard things and tough times, and when you are there on the other side, it is all worth it.

Be open.

A real friend tells the truth, even if it hurts. Being open about your life, your strengths, and your weaknesses will serve you well in a friendship. God brings you the people you will need, but we must protect and treasure their friendship in our lives.

Continually improve yourself.

Being a better friend starts with being a better YOU. When we are busy day in and day out, not meeting the needs of ourselves and our families, it is hard to be a good friend. There are days where I know I won’t be a good friend because I am struggling under my own roof. But there are days when I know I can reach out and make someone’s day a little brighter.

I am learning that friendships get better with age. When we take the time to cultivate and maintain friendships, they are such a blessing in our lives. I encourage you today to take the time to call, text, or email a friend– let them know you are thinking of them and that they are a blessing to you. You won’t regret it!

]]>9807Being an Intentional Disciplehttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/03/being-an-intentional-disciple/
Thu, 19 Mar 2015 14:49:51 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9826“Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, ... Continue Reading...]]>

“Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions],
so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence
but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal,
and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling
(self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness
against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God
and discredit the name of Christ).
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while
effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you
the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good
pleasure and satisfaction and delight.”
Philippians 2:12-13 (AMP)

Many people think of disciples as the twelve disciples that Jesus had in His inner circle when He was on earth. While that is true, we see in the early church in Acts where the number of disciples grew and multiplied. That’s because after Jesus’ death and resurrection, He came and appeared to the disciples, giving them what’s known as “The Great Commission,” before He ascended back into heaven. Here’s what Jesus left the disciples with:

“Go then and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them into the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Teaching them to observe everything
that I have commanded you,
and behold, I am with you all the days
(perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion),
to the [very] close and consummation of the age.
Amen (so let it be).”
Matthew 28:19-20 (AMP)

The first thing to understand is that a disciple is a term used to refer to a “student” and a “follower.” When Jesus was going around first starting His public ministry, gathering up the twelve, He said to them, “Follow Me.” They got to be close to Him and study Him, as students. Then when it was time for Jesus to physically leave the earth, He told them to go out and make more disciples. They would now be the teachers, as together they all continued to follow Jesus.

This command wasn’t just for the early church, though. If you are a believer, a Christian, a Jesus-follower, you are also a disciple and the command to go out and make more disciples is for us, too. It’s not just our pastor’s job or the Sunday school teacher’s job. If the Holy Spirit is living in you, sisters, it’s our job, too.

So let’s break this down as it pertains to us and how we are to be intentional disciples. To be a student means to acquire knowledge, and to follow means to copy after or imitate. So in all simplicity, we need to study Jesus and imitate Him.

How are we going to study Him and come to know Him intimately enough that we can imitate Him? This is where the “disciplines of the Christian faith” come into play. (Notice the word “disciple” is part of “discipline” because these are things we need to do as disciples.) For me, I don’t think of them in such a formal way, but rather, they flow through my relationship and connection with Jesus every day.

There are several “disciplines” of the faith. I’m only going to list five, as they are the ones that most grow my relationship with Jesus. However, please know that our faith and living holy lives is not about following a “to-do” list.Living a holy life of faith is conformity to the character of God and obedience to the will of God. To know His character and His will, we’ve got to be close to Him. So another way to look at these is as relationship building tools for the Holy Spirit within you to use to draw you closer to God.

Prayer

Reading the Bible

Worship

Service

Fasting

In conclusion, to be intentional disciples, we first have to be filled with the Holy Spirit because we need His help. Next, we need to work the disciplines of our faith into our daily lives – which helps us to study and imitate Jesus as we learn His character and will. Then we will be able, through His supernatural strength and power, to live in obedience to His commands and His will for each of our lives. God’s top commands are to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength; to love our neighbors; and to go out and make more disciples. As we do our part to work in the disciplines, God works on our hearts (see Phil. 2:12-13 above), and fulfilling those commands flows through.

Go get close to God! Go help others do the same!

]]>9826Me Time in the Midst of a Busy Seasonhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/03/me-time-in-the-midst-of-a-busy-season/
Tue, 17 Mar 2015 10:00:14 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9815I get it, we’re all busy. And while I would love to be less busy and I love the idea that we stop glorifying busy, it also doesn’t mean things can slow down for some of us right now. Maybe you’ve got small kids at home that demand all of your time. Or work is ... Continue Reading...]]>

I get it, we’re all busy. And while I would love to be less busy and I love the idea that we stop glorifying busy, it also doesn’t mean things can slow down for some of us right now.

Maybe you’ve got small kids at home that demand all of your time. Or work is busy right now and you’ve got to have a job so there’s no way around it. Or maybe your extended family is in an upheaval right now and you’re being pulled a million different ways.

It seems there is always something that requires our attention, our time, and our limited resources.

So how do we find rest and rejuvinate in the midst of a busy season? How do we still take care of ourselves when we’re so busy taking care of others?

That’s a really good question. A really good question I don’t know how to answer completely because it’s different for everyone. So while all these might not work for you, I pray that a couple of them can be incorporated into your life so that you can rest–even momentarily–and be re-energized enough to tackle your day (or just the next part…). Because we all know that we can’t take care of others well if we’re not taking care of ourselves well first.

Sacred drive time
You know the only silence I get in my day? The fifteen minutes I drive from home to work and then from work to home. I refuse to talk on the phone during these times, I don’t try to multitask or catch up with friends. This is my time to prepare for the day, or to unwind from a stressful day of work so I don’t take it out on my family when I get home. Find your non-negotiable sacred quiet time and then guard it with your life. I look forward to those few minutes where no one needs anything from me and it helps me be more attentive when it’s time to serve others again.

Know when to say ‘no’
You can’t do it all. You know that and so does everyone else. So stop saying ‘yes’ to every offer or plea. Make your ‘yes’ mean more by being selective. And don’t apologize for your ‘no’. Let it be enough because you are enough.

Get up earlier
This one is hard. No one wants to give up twenty to thirty minutes of precious sleep when it feels like we never get enough anyway. But getting up just a few minutes earlier than normal to read your Bible, get your calendar or to-do list ready, or just sit in your quiet kitchen with some hot coffee, giving yourself a few minutes before you face the day can set the tone in a positive way for everything else heading your way.

Find your guilty pleasure
It doesn’t actually have to be guilt-inducing either. Find a good book to read before bed, even if it’s just the five minutes you have before you doze off. Find a juicy TV series to wait anxiously for each week (Scandal, anyone??), find a podcast you can’t wait to finish, or even listen to an audiobook. Find something that you can love, obsess over in a healthy way (hello, Fitz on Scandal…), and share your love with friends or neighbors. Talking about a great book you just read, a show’s jaw-dropping season finale, or why your favorite character made a crazy decision is a great break from reality and sometimes a distraction.

Once a month dinner plans
Can you spare one evening a month to have dinner with a friend? Get it on the schedule and then stick to it. It doesn’t have to be costly, pack a picnic and go sit in the park with a friend. Or ask a few friends to have dinner at a set time every month, you won’t all be able to make it every month, but getting into the rhythm of meeting with friends will give you something to look forward to.

What are ways you make sure to include self-care in your day? Locking yourself in the bathroom is a totally acceptable answer. Do you fit in exercise that makes you feel alive? Make sure you step away from your desk for lunch every day so you have to stop working? What gets you a little rest in the midst of a busy life or season?

]]>9815Being an Intentional Neighborhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/03/being-an-intentional-neighbor/
Thu, 05 Mar 2015 05:00:15 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9790“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 My family moved to where we currently live almost two years ago. We bought a house in a wooded, secluded area of ... Continue Reading...]]>

“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul andwith all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”
Luke 10:27

My family moved to where we currently live almost two years ago. We bought a house in a wooded, secluded area of the private lake community where we chose to live. (That’s our road in the photo.) The lone neighbor who’s roof we can see from our house is an older single man. We met one family that lives up a different road. Their kids used to wait for the bus with ours. Their situation is that the mom is the bread winner and the dad stays at home. Otherwise, I look around my house, and aside from hugging a tree or throwing bread out for the wildlife, don’t see many opportunities to be a neighbor in the “I live next to you” way.

I could sit at home and think that since I have to take a brisk walk to encounter neighbors, or since many houses here are just summer cottages for people, that I somehow don’t have to follow a command to love my neighbors. That would be wrong.

Who are our “neighbors”?

Our neighbors are all the people we encounter during a day, whether we see them often or just once. It could be someone in a store, your mailman, or parents whose kids are in the same activities as your kids. I’m part of MOPS; I’m part of a home Bible study; I’m a member of our YMCA; I serve in ministry at our church; I’m involved in the kids’ school; and my kids are in extracurricular activities. I’ve had many opportunities to meet people and be a “neighbor.”

What does being a neighbor look like?

There are endless ways to love others. Each day, we can ask God what we can do for Him, being His hands and feet to others. We can make it our mission to not go through a day without increasing someone else’s joy, or to leave others feeling better than before we encountered them. Something joyfully amazing happens in our hearts when we take our eyes off ourselves and when we give.

If there’s someone in your path who has a need, whether to be encouraged, listened to, or even financial, we need to try to do what we can. We could hold a door, help with groceries, give a compliment, leave a good tip, pray, take someone a meal, watch someone’s kids, or shovel a driveway.

We can always be on the lookout for ways to be a good neighbor to those we live our lives around. Sometimes it may be spontaneous, and other times you might pre-plan certain acts of kindness.

“So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us,
let us do good [morally] to all people…”
Galatians 6:10

Joyce Meyer, in her awesome book, The Love Revolution, gives a list of some of the ways the Bible says our attitudes can and should be toward one another. (Think of the great Bible stories of the good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37, and of Jesus meeting the woman at the well, John 4:1-42. They embody these principles.)

Watch over one another

Pray for one another

Be mindful to be a blessing

Be friendly and hospitable

Be patient with one another

Bear with others’ faults and weaknesses

Give others the benefit of the doubt

Comfort and encourage one another

Be faithful and loyal

Consider and prefer others

For those who want to do more, like my spontaneous friend I wrote about, to reach out to invite neighbors to coffee and love them well, check out The Neighborhood Café. This is an awesome ministry I recently came across, with a plan and a purpose to love your neighbors. Many times in our keep-to-ourselves society today, we go for years living near people without even knowing their names. It’s a shame and not how we’re called to live.

]]>9790Intentional Life – Back and Better Than Everhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/03/intentional-life-back-and-better-than-ever/
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 16:20:25 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9782Intentional. Purposeful. Deliberate. Live a little, learn a little, and your realize that being intentional is a lot more about what you say “No” to than what you say “Yes” to. And for a while, quite a few of us have had to say “no” to blogging to truly be intentional living. We are approaching ... Continue Reading...]]>

Intentional. Purposeful. Deliberate.

Live a little, learn a little, and your realize that being intentional is a lot more about what you say “No” to than what you say “Yes” to.

And for a while, quite a few of us have had to say “no” to blogging to truly be intentional living.

We are approaching our 4 year blog-iversary here at FancyLittleThings this month. March 20, 2011, we launched this little project, and for the first three years, we prayed, pushed, posted and promoted our fancy, little hearts out. And it was awesome.

But, it was work. And it was time for a break.

I found my voice here at FancyLittleThings. It has been the place where I turned my mess into a message and where I began to put that message into words I could share with others. Words that had once flowed so easily came to a stop last year. Come to find out, my thyroid about stopped too.

These last several months have been quiet here at FLT. For me, it has been about intentional pursuits toward healthy living, towards serving others, towards other areas of my life that needed attention and growth. For other authors, it has been a time of moves, babies, new businesses, life changes…intentional living away from blogs, social media and screens.

We are back now. Back with new experiences and new enthusiasm. We’ve got so much to share with you. This month, the FLT authors are all pondering this quest of being intentional. Being an intentional friend. An intentional neighbor. An intentional spouse.

]]>9782Friends :: The One With the Spontaneous Girlhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/02/friends-the-one-with-the-spontaneous-girl/
Tue, 10 Feb 2015 23:21:33 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9778The scene opens on a small town library, in a room with that familiar book smell, but a bit louder than the rest of the library. It is filled with young parents and their small children. We’re sitting on the oversized carpeted steps that go around the room and up like amphitheater seats. We’re waiting ... Continue Reading...]]>

The scene opens on a small town library, in a room with that familiar book smell, but a bit louder than the rest of the library. It is filled with young parents and their small children. We’re sitting on the oversized carpeted steps that go around the room and up like amphitheater seats. We’re waiting for story time to begin.

I have a diaper bag, stroller, and two toddlers that I’m trying to keep calm and quiet. My nerves are on edge and I’m wishing I had about four more arms to juggle it all. I breathe a little sigh of relief when a fellow MOPS mom, whom I had talked with before, comes in with her three kids and sit near us.

Sara was her name and connection was her game. She had a bright, warm smile. She was welcoming and understanding. She was funny and always knew what to say. She was a little ahead of me on the motherhood journey and I got to watch her navigate her path with grace. She was very real, very open, quick to laugh at herself, and great at conversation.

She hugged people, sent encouraging notes in the mail, and invited people to her house for pancakes.

Yes, on that day at the library, she chatted with me and a few other moms…and spontaneously invited us and all our kids over to her house for pancakes. There were toys in her living room, a couple piles on her dining room table, and dirty dishes in her sink. She didn’t even know if she had enough milk in the fridge for making pancakes. She scrounged around to find enough sippy cups for all, cleared off the dining table, slapped the pancakes on paper plates and we all sat down for a mommy connection time.

It was a much needed breath of fresh air for me. It taught me a lot and showed me a beautiful model of spontaneity and simplicity, of which I am neither. In reflecting on adult friendships like I have been lately, I’ve asked myself what the definition of a good friend is to me. I have to say that Sara emulated many of the qualities, but spontaneity stands out. (Although she denies being spontaneous on a regular basis.)

In the act of listening to her heart that day, I know all the moms whom she asked over for pancakes were blessed.

She took risks. Not only a risk that she would have enough food, but a risk of other moms judging her house; a risk of messing with her schedule; a risk of a mob of kids making messes; a risk of such a simple act of hospitality being well received; and a risk of welcoming and connecting with each guest on some level.

She pushed past all that. She had an idea and she invited us over. She let us into her home, and that was powerful.

I think many of us are too worried about what others think of us, our kids, or our houses. I also think that we are too scheduled out – looking to our calendars and making appointments. But connecting with people’s hearts is more important than judgments or schedules.

I’m still in the midst of watching the sitcom Friends straight through on Netflix. (I’m up to season seven.) One of the things I love about the group of six friends is that they’re all fine with having each other over…even just walking in…whenever. They share their living spaces, hanging out with one another. They share meals, breaking bread with each other in some way on almost every episode.

Sharing food and having people in our homes is an important key to developing intimacy and friendships. These are elements that all of my closer adult friendships have had in common. I admit that playing hostess myself is not easy or natural for me. I love making food for people, but lack in the welcoming and connecting part. In recognizing my need for friends, it all has to start with an invitation. My idea is that practicing intentional invitations at first might then morph into spontaneous ones.

]]>9778Friends :: The One with the Lone Rangerhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/01/friends-the-one-with-the-lone-ranger/
Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:39:18 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9772The scene opens on a quaint coffeehouse called, “Central Perk,” in New York City. Three girls and three guys are sitting on the worn rose colored sofa and a couple chairs. Oversized mugs of warm coffee occupy their hands as they joke, laugh, share, cry, and sometimes give a whack upside the head of another. ... Continue Reading...]]>

The scene opens on a quaint coffeehouse called, “Central Perk,” in New York City. Three girls and three guys are sitting on the worn rose colored sofa and a couple chairs. Oversized mugs of warm coffee occupy their hands as they joke, laugh, share, cry, and sometimes give a whack upside the head of another.

Two of the girls share an apartment, and two of the guys share an apartment right across the hall. Between the six of them, there’s an open door policy where they all come and go as they please. They don’t seem to mind if their apartments are a mess or mind if they’re lounging in their pajamas.

They share everything – their thoughts, dreams, plans, intentions, hurts, pains, heartbreaks, advice, and support. Perhaps they’re a little too codependent. And not exactly role models that you’d want to follow. But there’s something about their connection and interaction that pulls this independent Lone Ranger-type (that’s me) in.

Of course, I’m talking about the good old sitcom Friends. It came out in my senior year of high school. I remember getting together with my college roommate and her off-campus cousin & friends every Thursday to watch Friends. They were die-hard followers.

Friends captivated me, although I don’t think I watched much past the third season. I was fascinated by watching their interactions. Now, at 38, I am watching all ten Friends seasons straight through on Netflix.

I wish I could meet you at a coffeehouse on a comfy couch with big warm cups of coffee and chat in person.

But because of my walls, it would feel like a big risk actually inviting you to have coffee, even if I could. Don’t get me wrong, my heart wants and even longs for girl friends…at least one or two ladies to really connect with.

Lone Ranger

We moved to our current town of residence 21 months ago. It takes time to meet people and form friendships. I am learning how to be intentional about connecting with other women. Friendships in adulthood are hard. In fact, I’m reading a book called, Friendship for Grown-upsby Lisa Whelchel. {Affiliate link} She and I are so much alike.

She was a “Lone Ranger,” and so am I. It’s been me and Jesus and my husband…then kids. But no close girl friends. I completely get how hard it is to maintain and grow friendships with small kids underfoot. But I’m in a new phase of life where all my kids are in school and I don’t work, so I am finding time to build intentional friendships.

I have several newer acquaintances here, and a couple are beginning to blossom into deeper friendships. I don’t want to be a Lone Ranger.

Walls

Lisa talks about walls she had up around herself that shielded her from intimacy and being vulnerable. I have those, too. In all my teen/adult friendships, I have been the quiet, strong one; the support giver and encourager. But I never opened up much, shared deeply, showed emotion, been needy; not asking for anything in return or even being aware of my own needs.

I am fiercely independent. Lisa said, “I don’t like needing anything because to need feels dangerous and is dangerous.” She tells about her childhood and how her “perception of a safe connection of love was based on not doing anything wrong to break that bond.” In other words, she would not let herself make a mistake for fear that the bond would break. I realized that I have lived with the same message my whole life, being a “goody-goody” and making people happy. Like Lisa, I perceived it wasn’t safe to be needy or vulnerable. I had to be big and brave. And I greatly disengaged from my emotions.

Big & Brave

To watch the characters on Friends share every detail of their lives, connecting on such deep levels has been both a breath of fresh air and a harsh realization that I have missed friendships like that. The longing for friendship becomes more intense and more hopeful. To tear down those walls and risk takes a new and different sort of big and brave.

My One Word for 2015 is “separate.” God revealed areas of pride, like I’ve always prided myself on being logical, strong, keeping peace, and not being an “emotional chick.” I am working on removing the attitudes of pride and wearing these things like an achievement. It’s isolating. I want to live a holy and pleasing life, loving God and loving others. We’re relational beings and I am sorely lacking in loving others well. It’s high time to separate from my walls of protection and cultivate some friendships.

I invite you along to a closer look at friendship in this space over the next couple months.

]]>9772New Mercieshttp://fancylittlethings.com/2015/01/new-mercies/
Tue, 06 Jan 2015 11:00:35 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9765There is something so fresh and wonderful about the start of a new year. As I jot down a few goals and plans, it’s like I am getting a fresh start. A new year. A chance to change what I didn’t love about last year. January always feels full of life and hope. There is ... Continue Reading...]]>

There is something so fresh and wonderful about the start of a new year. As I jot down a few goals and plans, it’s like I am getting a fresh start. A new year. A chance to change what I didn’t love about last year. January always feels full of life and hope. There is nothing I love more than getting the Christmas decor down and starting with a fresh slate in my home. It jump starts my creative spirit and energy, and gives me a clean start. It gives me a renewed sense of purpose!

Did you know that this feeling with Christ is something that we can feel daily?

His mercies are new each morning.

Each. Morning.

Is it sinking in?

And they never end! We can find rest in Him daily. What an amazing gift He has given us.

I encourage you today, to enjoy this feeling of newness but really understand that it doesn’t have to end when the calendar turns to February. Relish in His promises for what is to come in the new year.

]]>9765What I Want My Children to Love about Christmashttp://fancylittlethings.com/2014/12/what-i-want-my-children-to-love-about-christmas/
Fri, 12 Dec 2014 11:00:47 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9760Christmas time is my favorite time of year, and as far as I can remember, it always has been. I always looked forward to Christmas time. I remember doing an advent calendar with my parents, and getting to be part of the advent readings at church. I remember matching Christmas Eve dresses, going caroling with ... Continue Reading...]]>

Christmas time is my favorite time of year, and as far as I can remember, it always has been. I always looked forward to Christmas time. I remember doing an advent calendar with my parents, and getting to be part of the advent readings at church. I remember matching Christmas Eve dresses, going caroling with our youth group, and the day we always set aside to do all of our holiday baking. I want them to know the time and care (and fun!) that goes into making our holiday goodies. It is a day I look forward to every year.

I want them to hear stories of how their dad and I started dating right before Christmas, and how every year, the nostalgia of the season brings me back to 13 years ago– our very first date. I fell in love exactly 4 months later, and never looked back.

I want them to know that putting up the Christmas tree is something I look forward to every year, and it has always been a family event. I want them to always want to be a part of decorating our home, so that one day they will be excited to do that for their own family.

I want to cultivate the spirit of Christmas, the fun of Santa Claus, while knowing that Christ comes first. I want them to want to give to others as well as receive, and to instill in them an attitude of Thanksgiving that lasts all year. I want them to know that even when life doesn’t seem to be going their way, we can still have a grateful heart for the blessings we have.

I want them to remember the Christmas story, how Mary and Joseph headed to Bethlehem only to find no room at the inn. I want them to know how God sent Jesus to be our savior. I want them to know how the Angels rejoiced when Christ was born. I want them to know that God loves them so, so very much. I want them to experience all of the wonder and magic that comes with the Christmas season.

Now starts the wonder of the Christmas season and I hope to make it a memorable one.

]]>9760Living Faithfulhttp://fancylittlethings.com/2014/11/living-faithful/
Tue, 25 Nov 2014 20:14:31 +0000http://fancylittlethings.com/?p=9756Have you ever thought about how being strong and being faithful are intertwined? There are non-believers who think that faith and religion are used as “crutches” by weak people. Guess what? We’re all weak people. A Bible study I was doing recently looked at the difference between strong and faithful. In those thoughts came clarity ... Continue Reading...]]>

Have you ever thought about how being strong and being faithful are intertwined?

There are non-believers who think that faith and religion are used as “crutches” by weak people. Guess what? We’re all weak people.

A Bible study I was doing recently looked at the difference between strong and faithful. In those thoughts came clarity in words as I had not been able to produce prior.

“I know she can make it. She is strong.” This was a quote taken from the story that the Bible study author was sharing. It was about a newly widowed woman, said by a mutual friend. Have you ever admired anyone for their perceived strength?

Or has anyone ever commented to you that you are strong? I’ve been referred to as strong over my life. From multiple surgeries due to a cleft palate as a child, on up to multiple miscarriages, complicated pregnancies, babies in the NICU, my husband with a brain tumor, and other trials as an adult. I’ve recently emerged from a ten year period of many hardships.

What gives someone the impression of being strong? Maybe not being in a constant state of hysteria. Maybe being able to at least function in a way that continues to carry on life’s necessary duties. Maybe being more logical than emotional. Digging a bit deeper, perhaps it’s the capacity to continue to reach out and love others, even when it’s difficult. Perhaps it’s that even if there are hysterics, there is an underlying peace that is beyond our human understanding. A continuing hope for the future and a joy unspeakable.

My favorite song is “Collide,” by Skillet. The chorus is so, so powerful to me that I get goose bumps every time I hear it and join in belting it out. It is the first song that really puts everything I’ve experienced into words. It’s about those times when your faith collides with fear. For me, there is no better description than a collision. It’s a blow – a forceful, sudden blow that takes your feet out from under you. That song says, “Can we hold on? Hold on! There’s something deep inside that keeps my faith alive; when all you can do is hide from the fear that’s deep inside of you; something to hold me close when I don’t know; there’s something deep inside that keeps my faith alive.”

What keeps our faith alive when faith and fear collide? It’s holding on.Holding on to Jesus. It’s making Him our Rock, leaning on Him, reaching out for Him, fully trusting and relying on Him. It’s having that love, devotion, loyalty, connection and relationship with Jesus to where He is the first “person” we run to. It’s being faithful…being faithful to Jesus.

In the Bible study author’s story, another friend responded, “No, she’s not just strong. She’s faithful.” And there’s the crux.

The author wrote, “I’m not sure we do a woman justice when she endures something brutal, and we chalk it up to strength. Sometimes people with no strength at all emerge from a horrifying season. They used all the might they had just to hold on to Jesus. And He was enough. In their weakness, He was strong.”

You can’t truly have strength without being faithful. Being faithful is holding on…holding on to Jesus. He will strengthen your heart – making your heart steadfast and unswerving, and He will give you the fruits of the Spirit, (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), even in the midst of unbearable circumstances. Hold on!

This is my prayer for all of us as we enter into the holiday season, whether you’re on a mountaintop or in a valley:

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace (unmerited favor), comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17